The biggest challenge after being diagnosed with a fatty liver is giving up sweets. Fortunately, you don’t have to give up all desserts and today I am here to show you that there can still be plenty of satisfaction for your sweet tooth, even if you have NAFLD/MASLD.
While any food with added sugar, as well as those with plenty of carbs, are totally out of the question, we still have options – and today I will share the best sweets/desserts for fatty liver disease below.
Don’t forget! You can find these, plus plenty more, in my book From Fatty Liver to Healthy Liver. Grab your copy today to learn how I reversed my fatty liver, including meal plans and recipes.
With this in mind, let’s jump right in and check out the fatty liver disease-friendly desserts and sweets you can still enjoy even after being diagnosed. These might not be exactly the things you’re used to having, but you will get to love them just like I did – and I still do, even now after having reversed my fatty liver.
Make sure to always follow the notes I have for each of these recipes to keep them as liver-friendly as possible!
Please note: I get commissions for purchases made through the links below
Chocolate Fudge Pie
Ingredients:
- 12.3 oz/350 grams silken tofu (no flavors, unsweetened)
- 10.6 oz/300 grams chocolate chips (choose those with over 75% cocoa, or go for varieties sweetened with sugar alternatives, like these).
- 1 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp milk of choice
- a tiny bit of salt
- optional: 2-3 tbsp erythritol
Instructions:
- Melt the chocolate chips in your microwave, then mix with all the other ingredients and blend them in your food processor until super-smooth
- Put it in the fridge and let it sit for at least 1 hour before eating. You can optionally place it in the crust recommended below for a sweeter experience (but if you do this, choose even smaller portions).
My notes: Make sure you use the crust recommended here in order to keep carbs at a minimum.
A delightful experience indeed and one of the few chocolate-filled sweets you can still have in moderation!
KIND ZERO Bars
The fact that you can order these and have one every now and then is a big win in my opinion – especially if you’re like me and not great at cooking.
These bars have zero added sugar (or other sweeteners), are naturally gluten free, filled with fiber and absolutely delicious.
I personally enjoy the Peanut Butter ones the most (linked below), but there are plenty of flavors to choose from – I recommend trying them all before picking your favorite, but they’re all healthy and tasty.
Note: While they don’t have added sugar, each bar has a bit of palm oil. I still believe this is an acceptable compromise, but if you want to stay away from it, check out other options in this article. I ate these (and most of the things recommended in this article) without any problems, though.
Oatmeal Fruit Parfait
Ingredients (2 servings):
- 8 tsp rolled oats
- 1½ cups unsweetened almond milk (or low-fat dairy milk with no added sugar)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of cinnamon
- 1 fresh peach, diced
- ⅔ cup fresh berries, diced (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries)
- 2 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt (no sugar added)
- 1 tablespoon chopped almonds or walnuts (optional, for crunch)
- optional: 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup, raw honey, erythritol, or stevia for added sweetness. It’s still great without it!
Instructions:
- In a bowl or mason jar, combine all the ingredients, except for the fruits and low-fat yogurt.
- Stir gently until mixed, cover the mixture and refrigerate overnight (or at least 6 hours)
- Before eating, mix the diced fresh peach with the berries and low-fat yogurt.
- Assemble the parfait in two serving glasses, alternating layers of oats with the fruits. Finish by sprinkling the top with chopped almonds or walnuts for added texture and flavor.
My notes: You can try this with various other fruits, or go for my recommended overnight oats recipe, which I consistently have as breakfast.
That’s it Fruit Bars
This one is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Made of 100% fruit and nothing else, these fruit bars are delicious and healthy. Even my son loves them, which is an added bonus.
I recommend getting the gift pack above, which has 4 bars of each flavor, so you can find your favorite. I like them all, to be honest, although I prefer the fig flavor for some reason.
Just two ingredients, 100% fruits, no preservatives or other baddies. Perfect!
Click here to check at Amazon.
Homemade Vegan Nutella
Now here’s a little amazing treat that you can prepare at home. Here are the ingredients:
– 7oz / 200 grams of silken tofu
– 2 cups soft pitted dates
– 1 cup toasted and peeled hazelnuts (or equivalent, 100% hazelnut butter)
– 3 tbsp baking cocoa powder
– 1½ tsp vanilla essence
– a pinch of salt
– have some drinking water on hand (or low-fat milk)
Instructions:
- Place the hazelnuts and salt in a food processor and run it until you have a buttery paste (or use 100% hazelnut butter to speed up the process).
- When the hazelnuts are buttery, add in all the ingredients (minus the water) and blend until you have a smooth paste.
- If you’re not happy with how creamy the final product is, add 1 tablespoon of water/milk (then one more and so on) until you get the desired creamy delight.
Consume this as a spread over slices of apples, or my recommended bread for fatty liver disease. Eat 1 tablespoon max per serving.
Date & Coconut balls
Ingredients (5 servings):
- 20 Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 cup walnuts or hazelnuts (or your favorite nuts)
- 3 tbs coconut flakes
- ½ cup almond milk or low-fat dairy milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 20 whole almonds, baked
Instructions:
- In a pan, add the milk and Medjool dates. Cook them for five minutes on low heat, stirring constantly (don’t bring to a boil).
- Add all the ingredients (except for the almonds and 1 tbs coconut flakes) in a food processor and blend until everything’s chunky (but not buttery).
- Roll the mixture into small balls (you need to make 20 of them – use a teaspoon to get the quantity right) around a whole almond. When complete, roll them into the coconut flakes for some extra looks and taste.
- You can consume them right away or place them in the fridge, in a covered container, where they will last at least a week.
Cinnamon-Baked Pear
Ingredients (2 servings):
- 2 large ripe pears
- 1 teaspoon ground Ceylon cinnamon (as regular, cassia cinnamon is toxic for the liver!)
- 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts or almonds (optional)
- 2 teaspoons natural almond butter or peanut butter (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Slice pears in half lengthwise and carefully remove cores.
- Arrange pear halves on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, cut side facing upwards.
- Sprinkle pears evenly with cinnamon.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until pears become soft and golden around the edges.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly, then drizzle lightly with almond or peanut butter if desired, and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Serve warm.
Rise Almond Honey Protein Bar
The biggest advantage of protein bars is, in my opinion, the fact that they keep you full for a long time. And this one that I’m recommending is probably the cleanest of them all.
It does have honey, which is a sugar in the end (but a healthier option nevertheless). Still, plenty of it at 13 grams per bar. However, apart from this, it only has a couple of other ingredients: almonds and whey protein isolate. Really good!
I wouldn’t have this more than once per week, as a treat. Too much sugar, especially if you’re early in your fight to reverse fatty liver. But still acceptable in my opinion.
Avocado Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients (4 servings):
- 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons pure stevia or erythritol
- Fresh raspberries or strawberries (optional garnish)
Instructions:
- Place all ingredients (minus the fresh fruit) in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy – about 2 minutes. You can add a bit more milk if you want it softer.
- Scoop the mixture into four small bowls or serving glasses and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
- When serving, garnish with fresh berries for extra flavor and extra eye candy.
Grain Free Blondies
Ingredients (3 servings):
- 1 3/4 cups almond flour
- 10 Medjool dates, pitted
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 2 TSP coconut oil
- 2 tsp vanilla bean extract
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1 tsp baking powder
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl.
- In a food processor, grind up the dates, then add the almond butter and coconut oil and pulse together.
- Transfer the mixture from the processor to a mixing bowl and add in the eggs, vanilla, and milk.
- Lastly, add the dry ingredients and mix well.
- Cut a sheet of parchment paper and place it into an 8X8 baking dish.
- Spread the dough evenly inside the dish. Wet your hands or a wet spatula to make this step easier.
- Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.
- Let it cool completely before removing, and then cut the blondies into squares. Store in the fridge.
Banana Pudding
My notes: Instead of the sugar, use 1 tablespoon of raw honey or a sugar substitute like the ones mentioned above. Or just don’t add any sugar, the bananas are sweet enough anyway!
Rainbow Whole Fruit Popsicles
These are perfect for the hot days of summer and extremely refreshing. This has become the favorite dessert and ice cream replacement in our home. Healthy and delicious!
Deep-Dish Apple Pie
My notes: When preparing the filling, don’t use any sugar at all, or use just half of the light brown sugar to keep the carbs low (and no granulated sugar).
A word of caution
Even though these foods are indeed healthier than your regular sweets and have little to no sugar added, you shouldn’t have them daily. These foods are still high in carbs, and you should reduce the amount of carbs you eat when dieting to reverse your fatty liver.
So if you have just been diagnosed, only have these as a treat every now and then. Put as many days in between servings as possible.
If you’ve already improved your condition a lot (or completely reversed it), you can have these a bit more often, but don’t make it a daily habit either!
I actually recommend starting to consume these only after 1 month of heavy dieting and keeping sugar out of your system. The longer you can hold it, the better.
Eat fruits and fruit salads in the meantime to keep your sugar cravings low, and only then you will be ready to truly appreciate the taste of the recommended desserts and sweet snacks below.
Because, yes, after one month of not eating anything sugary, things you wouldn’t normally consider sweet will seem sweet, while the things you used to eat will surprise you at how nauseatingly sweet they are. (I know this from my own experience).
So, to recap, here’s how to choose the best fatty liver friendly desserts:
- Go for low or zero added sugar.
- High fiber content.
- Reduced fats and minimal processing.
- Liver-protective ingredients like fruits, nuts, and whole grains.
Wrapping up
Eating smarter desserts makes it possible to still enjoy a sweet bite even after being diagnosed with a fatty liver disease. The recipes above are perfect to keep you on track – and happy.
Remember! Moderation is key, so don’t eat these too often. Make sure you stick to your daily caloric needs and especially that you don’t go overboard with the carbs.
I ate all of these desserts (and a few more, I have to admit) and still reversed my NAFLD, so it’s definitely doable.
If you need more ideas in terms of what to eat, you can find plenty more in my book, or by taking a sneak peek at the previous articles linked below:
- Fatty Liver-Friendly Breakfast Ideas
- Fatty Liver-Friendly Lunch Ideas
- Fatty Liver-Friendly Dinner Ideas
- Fatty Liver-Friendly Snack Ideas
Do you have other healthy sweets that you use to eat now? Let us know by commenting below!
I was diagnosed with a fatty liver back in 2014 and managed to reverse it by mid-2015. Since then, I’ve been studying it, continuously updating my knowledge with the latest scientific findings and practical approaches to give others the help they need to reverse their condition.
My approach to managing fatty liver is holistic, balancing scientifically-backed information with real-life, practical advice based on personal, direct experience.
I am also the admin of the Fatty Liver Support Group on Facebook and the Fatty Liver Subreddit.
I have learned a lot and thanks for the information . i didn’t know anything about fatty liver and this was so helpful. I didn’t realize their wasn’t much you couldn’t eat. thanks mildred schrimsher
Happy to be able to help, Mildred!
In the Blondie recipe above, it says to use dates instead of sugar, however, dates are loaded with natural sugar that will contribute to the fatty liver even more. The only sugars in your diet, should be from berries, which have antioxidants. There are 93 grams of sugar in one cup of dates!
My sister is a nutritionist and she said to definitely not include dates in the fatty liver diet. She said it’s just as bad as eating dried fruit. Better to be safe than sorry, since not everyone digests sugar the same way.
If you can completely stay away from sugars, it’s indeed the best approach. But if you need a treat or a snack every now and then, they are definitely better than others.
Dates have a lot of sugar like all dried fruits, but they also come packed with other nutrients and I personally consider them fine. I actually had this while having fatty liver and still reversed it – but moderation is key here!
Is the butter and mayo made with olive oil good to eat with fatty liver
Unfortunately, not. The “butter” is actually margarine, which is actually extremely unhealthy, even if it’s made with olive oil.
I thought it was real with sweat cream,& olive oil. I will not buy